


Brand-new Day

by RoryK75



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Death, F/M, First War with Voldemort, Major Character Injury, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:22:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23782312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoryK75/pseuds/RoryK75
Summary: Thalia Evans was not supposed to be born, but by choosing to have a third child,  her parents transformed the Magic World we all once knew. Now Thalia has to find her place in the world she grew to love. When the dark time comes, the young witch will be faced with a difficult choice: to save the people she loves or to save herself? Meet Thalia as she grows to understand her destiny, makes friends, falls in love and tries not to strangle one very arrogant four-eyes boy along the way.
Relationships: James Potter/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 71





	1. A Mother's Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys. I am glad you are here to read my story. Have to warn you that I am new to this platform and only write for the joy and entertainment of the process. A little disclaimer: English is not my first language and I am trying my best to comply with the grammar rules and spelling. Let me know your thoughts on this work. With no further ado, enjoy!

_“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” – Agatha Christie_

Rose Evans was a happy woman: she had a successful career, a loving husband and a beautiful baby girl who she loved and cherished. When doctors told her that in two years she would probably become barren, she decided it was time to have a second child. Her family could afford it; her husband John, if it were up to him, would have not only 2 children, but a small soccer team, and Petunia had been talking non-stop about how wonderful it would be to have a little sister. So Rose summed all pros and cons, and not a year later charming redhead came into their lives. 

Rose was hoping for a boy in all honesty, but she would never admit that to anyone including herself. Despite everything, Lily Marian Evans was a perfection; when Petunia clearly took after John with her blond hair and pale blue eyes, Lily was a small copy of herself. Straight auburn hair and green eyes spoke to her mother Irish origin, and Rose was glad that she passed some of that cultural beauty to her daughter.

Overall, the Evans were a standard of a perfectly normal family living on the outskirts of London. All the neighbors secretly referred to them while speaking of the happy marriage; not that it was of any importance to Rose, but a praise was a praise, and she considered it flattering nonetheless.

Rose Evans has achieved everything she wanted and was really content with her life. 

One morning, only 2 months after Lily was born, she came out of the bed feeling familiar sickness in her stomach. That was concerning, but she decided to fully blame yesterday's pumpkin pie, her husband's creation. John should not be allowed anywhere near the kitchen, she thought to herself in disapproval. But the next day was no different, even though Rose took full control of the food preparation. Few more days she tried to ignore the growing pain, but when John spotted her throwing up in the bathroom, they headed straight to the hospital.

“Missis Evans?” lean young doctor (probably just graduated, Rose thought disapprovingly) called her out from the crowded corridor of one of the typical London’s hospitals, where everything was dull and the air was saturated with the smell of medication.

“Missis Evans, your blood test results came. Did you know you are pregnant?”

_“Pregnant?”_ Rose said in a sharp voice. That could not be happening. No, there should be some mistake there. Maybe some absent-minded nurse mixed up analysis or laboratory assistant rearranged flasks. Rose froze inside; she just gave birth to one child and clearly wasn’t ready for another. Two infants in one year. Dear Lord, how will she handle it? “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely, Missis. I am sorry to tell you such news right after you found out about your condition, but the pregnancy could be dangerous for you. There is a high risk of miscarriage and even if you carry the baby to term, birth will be associated with serious problems.” He continued talking, using some alien medical terms Rose hardly understood.

“What are you saying, Doctor?”

“I am saying, Missis, that I would recommend terminating the pregnancy.”

The ground just shifted under her feet. The worries of taking care of two newborns somehow faded from her mind. The only thing she was feeling was the love for the creature inside of her, the love stronger than any science prediction.

“Thank you, doctor. I will consider it.”

_She didn’t._

It took her a week of arguing with John, which involved broken plates (that was her favorite porcelain service!) and shuttered doors to convince him that everything will be fine. She didn’t quite know it herself, to be honest, but God wouldn’t let her conceive that child in such an unusual time just to get rid of it. That was her first line of defense when doctors looked in her like she was absolutely crazy and tried to talk her into abortion. _How dared they?_ It was _her child’s life_ they were talking about. Bunch of fools, all of them, if they thought Rose Evans was going to give up fighting for it.

What the medics were right about, however, was the fact that this pregnancy was hard. When she carried Tuney and Lily, the only discomfort was a huge protruding belly that made her look like a ridiculously round sumo fighter. Now every day was accompanied by nausea, swollen knees and back pains. But when nine months later, on the 21st of December, miraculously healthy girl was born, Rose decided that every minute of pain was totally worth it.

“You hoped for a team of boys and look at us now”, Rose laughed in exhaustion. “Three girls, who would have thought?”

“Guess I’ll have my personal little garden instead,” John whispered lovingly, holding newborn daughter in his arms. Baby grimaced in half-smile, exposing her toothless mouth and widely opened her large emerald eyes. ”She got your smile. What shall we name her?”

Rode observed her smiling tiny face for a second before saying, "Thalia”

“Thalia,” John repeated after his wife, trying it on sound. "I like that. Welcome to the family, Thalia Jasmine Evans”

* * *

Time passes by in a blur when you have three children, so when Roses 30th birthday approached she felt odd. Not unhappy, no! It was just a little strange that one-third of her life (hopefully, she’ll beat aunt Mary’s record and make it to her late eighties) was gone. But Rose didn’t complain, her every day was filled with joy and, Lord, would she lie if she said her life was not exciting. Every half a year John made sure they traveled to a new place, even though Rose would prefer to go no further than England (not because she wasn’t adventurous, but can you imagine going to Sri-Lanka with 3 children? Rose could, and let her tell it was not pleasant.) The last time when they were in Thailand, Lily had caught some nasty bug and they spend the whole vacation in the hospital. After that incident Rose made John promise her they would only travel around Europe, at least until all girls will turn 13. Aside from that kind of adventures, Rose days were full of “children bringing up” excitement. Honestly, her girls were the most fascinating little things.

Petunia _looooved_ to be in charge or to pretend she was. She commanded her sisters like they were her personal little army when they were young enough to allow her. This bossy blondie loved praise and shone like a brand new coin when someone complimented her.

Lily, on the other hand, cared little about what other thought of her. She was cheerful and always involved, her sharp tongue often outpaced her thoughts and caught by surprise those who were unfamiliar with her.

Her youngest was inquisitive, witty and felt acutely the emotions of others. It was Thalia who climbed to her parents’ bed when Rose felt bad and let Rose bury her head in her daughter’s curly chestnut color hair (where did that color come from?) and comforted her mother as much as a five-year-old could. She wasn’t as bubbly as her redheaded sister, but there was something magical about how she found a way around people (neighbor grannies will completely spoil that child, as John once noticed with laughter).

But behind that charming smile hid a true rebel. Sometimes Rose wondered how such a gentle heart and hot head could be combined in one person.

If Lily was fire, Thalia was pure dynamite. As mentioned, she was gentle and amiable…most of the time. She eagerly forgave Lily for unintentionally breaking her toys and didn’t even cry when she and Petunia played in an imaginary hair salon and the latest accidentally cut off all of her hair, giving Thalia the shortest bob. When John, being amused with such a reaction, asked her why wasn’t she crying “Aren’t you angry at your sister, sweetie?” she only looked at him in the bewilderment. “Why would I be, Daddy? It’s Tuney. I love her.” With that simple answer, Thalia completely won off her father’s heart. “She is something else, isn’t she?” John muttered to himself. Thalia could not hold a grudge, all the members of the family knew it and, let’s be honest, used it in their own interest sometimes. But when the neighbor boys chased the homeless cat she screamed at them like a banshee and was it not for Lily who came and scared them off, Rose would bet all of the family savings her little duckling would have fought those boys, no doubts. She was a sweetheart when everything seemed just to her, otherwise, you wouldn’t want to be the subject of her anger. God, was that girl fierce! 

John was fond of all his daughters, bur Rose knew better. Rose was never fooled by the illusion that girls were angels. She was a mother, after all. She saw how Petunia intentionally fell off the bike just to attract her friends’ attention and how Lily ate all the candies from the cupboard and blamed Petunia for it afterward without hesitation, with Thalia…well, remember the cat situation (poor boys were never seen near their house ever again).

But in the end, they were no more but children, and Rose had more than enough time to explain to them the rights and wrongs. According to the plan (and she planned everything in the family life to the point of her and John babysitting grandchildren in the small cottage somewhere in French Riviera), they will live under her roof till marriages. That’s plenty of time, Rose comforted herself with the thought.

Then Lily’s Hogwarts letter came and Rose plans were thrown under the bus… or whatever wizards used for transportation.


	2. Unfortunate Incident

_“Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up” ― Veronica Roth, Divergent._

Thalia always suspected her older sister was not … ordinary. Lily made flowers bloom at her will when she was happy and the fire in the fire-place burn lighter when she was upset. Their parents were confused by their daughter's strange abilities, Tuney was somewhere between jealous and angry, but Thalia was absolutely and utterly mesmerized.

She would follow Lily everywhere, trying to catch new grains of magic her sister performed. While Tuney would stay with Rose, helping her around the house (imagining to herself how invaluable her contribution to the household was and putting on airs from her “importance"), the younger girls would spend most of the days together. Not to give you a false impression, Thalia loved Tuney. During long and rainy London evenings, she knocked on the door to her room and they spent hours reading everything from silly fashion magazines to “Encyclopedia of a young scientist”, while the wind raged outside the windows.

But when the day came and the sun was at its zenith, Thalia’s world spun around Lily.

Sisters, who had long ago studied the nondescript neighborhood, now wandered further and further into the abandoned part of the area. Their favorite place was a playground; overgrown with flowers and long forgotten by the residents, it never attracted other kids. The only entertainment that was still suitable for use was the old iron swing.

If the stranger was walking nearby, he would be amazed by what he saw. In front of him, the intruder would see two young girls swinging in unison, the older girl tightly holding the hand of the younger. Swaying in as fast as they could, the girls would let go of the iron bars, when the swing reached the highest point. And, instead of falling, as it was supposed to happen, they just stayed in the air for a moment, and, with the burst of laugher, gently dive to the ground. What a strange picture indeed! Luckily, no one ever witnessed it. Or so Thalia thought, not noticing a pair of dark eyes watching her from afar.*

During the summertime, when the weather was so hot that the girls had neither desire nor strength to go far from home, they laid bedspreads in the garden of the backyard and lay under blooming cherries, absorbing the rays of the scorching sun. Sometimes cherry flowers, disturbed by the gentle wind, fell to the ground and Lily played with them. Many times Thalia picked up the flowers, which petals Lily made whimsically bend a few moments ago, and hold it in her palms, trying to do the same. It never worked … until one day.

* * *

It was one of those autumn days when you don’t really want to leave the house: it snowed with unprecedented strength, but the temperature outside was not cold enough, and the beautiful snowflakes turned into slush, mixing with the mud and dust on the roads. Needless to say, Thalia was in no mood to travel anywhere in such weather, let alone London. She hated shopping with her Mom, especially when she made Thalia put on every single dress in the store. But Tuney was at school till noon and father took Lily to work with him. Besides, uncle Bob's birthday party was approaching, and Thalia had nothing appropriate to wear, as she grew 5 inches since the last winter. So Rose was set to go to the mall, and the nearest one was in London.

“I don’t want to dress up, Mom. Is it really necessary? We don’t even like uncle Bob.”

“What do you mean by that, young lady?” Rose asked in a mock angry tone.

“He always discusses how many pounds Dad gained since the last meeting. And aunt Julie constantly brags about getting another stupid bling, like anyone actually cares.”

“Didn’t I teach you not to talk poorly about family? Where did you get these ideas from?”

“From you,” Thalia said with a wide grin. “When Dad told you we were invited to the diner.” 

“First of all,” Rose said, trying to hide a smile, “never talk about people who are older than you disrespectfully, honey. We may not wear jewels like our dearest cousins, but we have manners. Secondly, I know these people for fifteen years and, God forgive me, I deserved the right to complain. And, want it or not, you have to renew your wardrobe anyway. End of story.”

Rose spoke calmly, but in a firm voice, making clear that any further bickering would be pointless.

“Don’t frown, sweetheart. I’ll buy the first one you’ll like. It won’t take long, I promise.” Rose added, putting on gloves and tightly tying the scarf around her neck.

Thalia sighed, thinking about how many times her Mom made promises of that kind, which all ended in hours in shops and boutique, trying on the clothes. But to make Rose justice, she could find really (like really) beautiful outfits even in the average price shops they shopped in. Something that seemed mediocre at best on the shelves, Rose, pairing with small accessories here and adding cute boots there, made seem gorgeous. Thalia was not fond of her mother’s little hobby, but she always recognized her sense of beauty.

With that in mind, she let Rose’s last phrase slip away and prepared herself for the long trip.

When they finally got to London, however, Thalia’s mood lightened.

The snow had stopped, and Rose decided to get off the metro one station earlier to drop by the new bookstore. When they left the shop, Thalia, with a wild smile on her face, was holding a new Jules Verne’s book in a glossy cover, and even grey foggy skу, which was hanging heavily over the heads of passers-by, seemed a little brighter to her. 

Of course, they ended up not only buying clothes for Thalia but the gifts for Christmas _(which was in two distant months!)_ for the whole family. However, when all the purchases were carefully wrapped up and paid for, Thalia signed with amusement. Submerged into thoughts about the new book, Thalia imagined how delightful it would be to flip the first pages and plunge into an exciting world of new adventures and dangers. Three hours passed by, and she didn’t even notice! “Shopping was not so bad, after all,” girl admitted to herself.

When they made their way out of the mall, the cold air hit Thalia’s face and her cheeks instantly flushed.

It turned out this week there were big sales in the city center, alas the streets were loaded more than usual: people scurried along them, running into each other now and then; sometimes apologizing, but mostly just walking past the unfortunate pedestrians.

“Stay close, Thalia. People are going crazy in here,” Rose cautioned, breathing heavily, as they headed to cross the road.

Bags she was holding was quite heavy: her knuckles turned white from tension.

“Let me help you, Mom,” Thalia suggested, noticing how the stuffed bundle brushed the asphalt.

“No,” Rose retorted, putting the bags on the ground, “I’ll manage, honey, just need to catch a breath and…”

Mrs. Evans didn’t get to finish her sentence, as several strange and scary things happened at the same time.

Firstly, a man, too keen on a telephone conversation, did not notice that a red light lit up at the crossing. He bumped into Rose and she, losing balance and tripping over the bags, flew into the roadway. 

Most drivers reacted quickly and were able to stop their vehicles, but one car was moving fast towards the astonished Rose, who stood in the middle of the road, rooted to the spot by shock and the suddenness of the situation.

Thalia's heart froze, she saw everything in slow motion: silver Mercedes, that was moving with incredible speed, and her mother, who was right on its way, face twisted with fear.

Then, Thalia screamed as she never did before.

 _“Nooooo!”_ the sound tore the air apart, so desperate and loud it was. And, as by a sound wave, the car was thrown to the side, and, circling Rose along an arc, crashed into the sidewalk. 

Thalia immediately rushed to her mother’s side. “Mom,” girl shook her shoulder, forcing Rose to unwind. “Mama, are you alright? Have you been hurt?”

There was a rattle of tires, yelling of pedestrians, and loud swearing of drivers, but nothing bothered Thalia. _Her mother was alive!_

The horridness of the moment didn’t give Thalia a chance to realize what just happened. Her mother was safe, nothing else mattered.

But if she had looked around, she would have witnessed unsightly picture: cars were scattered in disarray on the road, the windows of the nearest shops were cracked, and streetlights within a radius of hundred yards splattered into small fragments. All of that happened in the exact moment girl’s scream burst from her throat, echoing off the walls of buildings.

Someone pulled them aside from the road and called the police and the ambulance. There was a bench at the bus stop, and Evans settled there. Some compassionate pub owner brought hot tea for them, but it was left to cool on the bench corner, untouched and forgotten. Meanwhile, Thalia held her mother’s shaky hand, clinging tightly to her and trying her best not to cry. “She can’t be strong now, that’s fine, I just have to be strong for both of us,” girl repeated to herself non-stop, as it was her new mantra.

“We are fine, Mama. Doctors going to come soon, you’ll see.” She stated, not hearing how intermittent her own voice was.

When Rose could comprehend more facts than the ones that she was still breathing and not smashed under the two-ton piece of iron, she saw a woman, kneeling next to her.

“Missis,” the woman with soft brown eyes reached out to grab her free hand, “how are you feeling?”

“Thalia!” Rose exclaimed, searching familiar brown curls in the crowd and completely ignoring the stranger in front of her.

“Don’t worry, she is here, right here,” woman whispered reassuringly. Following a woman’s gaze, Rose finally acknowledged Thalia’s presence. She felt the warmness of her daughter’s body, pressed to her own, and signed with relief. “I am here, Mom.” Thalia squeezed her hand a bit tighter, and Rose, without any words, pulled her daughter in a hug and finally let the stress of the day poor out, as she bent her head on her daughter's shoulder and burst into tears.

Later, when Talia’s coat was soaking wet, her mother finally let go of her and observed the wrecked street. And a trace of thought flickered in her head. She glanced at the crashed Mercedes, that, no matter how awful it sounded, should have hit her, and then at Thalia, whose wild scream still ringed like an echo in her ears.

“Jesus, what am I going to tell the police?” came her voice, sounding both confused and terrified.

The women, who all that time was sitting on the bench, seemed to wait for Rose to calm dawn, spoke again.

“Missis, my name is Euphemia Potter. My son and I,” she nodded toward the raven-haired boy who stood a little bit further from them, “we were passing by and saw how everything happened. I believe I know how to explain the situation you find yourself in. Would you like to hear me out, before the patrol come?” 

Rose could not see how that could be explained in any way (the whole area was… savaged!), but something in lady Potter’s firm and confident posture, the way the brown eyes met the worried green ones, made Rose nod in reply.

“You are Thalia, I believe?” Euphemia leaned closer, so the girl could hear too. “I see you are a grown young lady. Could you please check on my son? That boy cannot be left for a minute without putting himself in trouble.” 

Thalia, completely aware of the fact that she was just an unwanted listener of which was trying to get rid of, lingered for a second. But then, with a polite “Yes, madam”, as father taught her, headed to the boy.

He stood far enough not to hear the conversation. “What a shame,” Thalia afflicted, desperately wishing to hear every single word of it.

He was lean and tanned; smile with a hint of mischief playing on his lips. His dark hair was tangled by the wind, so Thalia couldn’t say, whether it was naturally that spiky (Thalia didn’t envy his hairdresser, if so) or if the weather was responsible for this nest. 

“Hey. I am James, James Potter.” He held his hand, carelessly brushing strands of unruly hair from his eyes.

“Thalia,” she shook the stretched hand, which was warm and a little dry.

“Hey, what happened… it was cool. Not what happened to your Mom, not that part, obviously.” He stumbled, seeing how Thalia scowled, hands on her hips. “I mean what you did to stop the car, all this boom and bam!” He threw his hands in the air, depicting an explosion. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Well, thank you,” Thalia looked at him in disbelieve. That boy-James, she mentally corrected herself- was sooo excited over all this mess, and she genuinely didn’t know whether he was trying to make a compliment or just mocking her. “But I didn’t do it.”

 _“Of course you did!”_ His voice came with such confidence, as though he just stated “the earth goes around the sun” fact. “Wizards and witches do it all the time. Not adults though, they don’t know how to have fun, but it happens with children.”

“Did you just call me a witch?” Thalia questioned, more puzzled than offended.

“Oh, I didn’t know that you are a muggl…” he wavered under Thalia’s insightful gaze. “Being a witch is not a bad thing, it's actually fantastic. You get to fly on the broom and play quidditch, and go to Hogwarts when you turn eleven.” He respectfully lowered his voice on the word ‘Hogwarts’ as it was some secret password he just passed to her.

“What is Hogwarts?”

“School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” boy proclaimed proudly.

“I think you are trying to prank me,” Thalia murmured, not convinced by his answer.

“No, I swear,” he retorted. “You’ll get an owl with an invitation letter to attend after your eleventh birthday. And then you will be sorted into your new house, and…”

“James Charlus Potter” Euphemia exclaimed, as she and Rose suddenly appearing behind Thalia’s back. ”Poor girl is exhausted, and you show your compassion by tiring her more?”

“But Mom,” James protested, ”I _wasn’t_ bothering her. We were just talking about Hogw…” Euphemia’s unequivocal cough made him stop in the middle of his acquittal speech.

Rose, now more put together, turned to Thalia. “Doctors came, honey. They want to examine us.”

“And thank you for your help, Mrs. Potter, though I hope you are mistaken,” was the last words she said to Euphemia, before nodding in goodbye.

* * *

“That girl is a witch, I know that. Why didn't you tell her?” James exclaimed dramatically.

“Certain things should be learned at a certain time,” Euphemia said in the flattest voice she could master. “Now, less talking more walking, young gentleman.” She finally turned away from the retreating couple, and strode along the sidewalk in the opposite direction, with James walking behind her.

* * *

When doctors ensured both Evans were perfectly fine, besides few bruises and scratches, and police took statements, in which Rose lied in cold blood, repeating “I don’t know, officer” so many times her voice became hoarsen, they were free to go.

Poor driver, which turned out to be an old man, with his hair graying at the temples and glasses so thick he probably wasn’t safe to drive at all, was shocked to the point where he couldn’t recall what made his car turn. He was so relieved he didn’t become an accidental murderer, that even crumpled bumper of Mercedes didn’t overshadow his happiness. 

Policemen with baffled faces looked over the street and all the damage, but, as they couldn’t find a better explanation, put the full blame on the strong autumn wind. Which at first sounded ridiculous even to themselves, but people believe what they want to believe, and by the end of the day the most skeptical of witnesses were gossiping about the incident and “Such a nasty weather” phrase infallibly followed their narration.

Thalia kept stoically quiet when police were still nearby, but as soon as they came out of its role of vision, she broke the silence. “What did that woman told you, Mom?”

“I wish I knew, honey. I wish I knew,” a sad smile touched Rose lips, and Thalia wondered what was her mother trying to hide behind that lifeless smile.

Thas night, when all of her family slept peacefully, Thalia was tossing and turning in bed, James' words rubbing in her head.

She threw the blanket aside and slipped out of the bed, completely sure that she won’t be able to sleep. Lily sniffed in the bunk next to her, so Thalia didn’t risk turning on the lamp.

Noiselessly, she approached the wardrobe, lonely towering in the corner of the bedroom. Having fished out the old shabby book, she, rustling through the pages, opened it in the middle. There was a small milky-white flower; withered and fragile, it still has not lost its beauty. Thalia hesitated before taking it, but as soon as her thin delicate fingers touched it, its petals filled with moisture and freshness once again, and the tart jasmine aroma spread throughout the room. 

* * *

The same evening James Potter, unsatisfied with the answers or rather lack of them, was eavesdropping on his parents' conversation, as he watched them sitting in the living room just a few minutes after his mother sent him off to bed.

Fleamont Potter was sitting on the couch, his eyes shut in an attempt to rest after a long day.

The pipe in his hands puffed, and he, deeply inhaling, released a cloud of smoke.

“So what about the girl, Mia? Did James gloss over the details, as usual?” he joked.

“Not this time, Montie. Aside from the part when I ‘unfairly and undeservingly’ scolded him off, he told the truth about the witch.” Euphemia winced, fending off tobacco fumes.

James, satisfied that his theory was proven right, made a careless move: the floorboard creaked beneath him and he hastened to retreat that instant. That girl _was a witch_ , after all. He will meet her in Hogwarts, and right now he didn’t want to risk anger his mother. With that thought, the boy left the adults to their privacy.

“What did you tell her mother? You know the ministry became sensitive with the secrecy status lately.” Fleamont put the pipe aside, now more concerned.

“Nothing specific,” Euphemia reassured him. “I think she already suspected her daughter was special, so I just warned her not to share assumptions with anyone. “

She stopped for a moment, gazing out of the window on the last rays of setting sun.

She lifted the wand in graceful motion and the candles lit up in the room. She was fast with spells once, when the time had not yet touched her and wrinkles didn’t dapple her arms, making them slower than ever before. Now the sharp features of her figure softened and the speed was replaced with grace and steadiness.

"But what a powerful magic in a fragile creature like her. I am afraid something bad can happen to the child with such magical potential.” Euphemia continued, unable to cast aside the unrest.

“Don’t worry, Mia. The poor girl was just scared for her mother, and uncontrolled magical emissions are not uncommon for young witches her age. Maybe she is just talented? I am sure ministry will register the case and take care of the destruction,“ Fleamont tried to calm his wife.

“That was not about the damage, Montie. Her magic, it was so powerful. I didn’t just saw it, I could feel how it trembled in my core. It felt… dangerous. And both you and I know what came out of the last “talented” wizard boy. I should probably inform Dumbledore,” women uttered nervously.

“No, _it’s just a girl_ , Mia, and you are trying to make the next Voldemort out of her ,” Fleamont spat out the name as it was a curse. “Surely, Dumbledore has more urgent issues to take care of. You know that _he_ is uprising and...Oh, nevermind,” he cut himself off, not particularly enjoying where the conversation was going. “Besides, I think James was charmed by that mysterious girl. Thalia, you said? Have you noticed how sad he was when you said he wouldn’t be able to awl her? Oh, sweet youth. He was so terrified, as though he will never find or meet her again,” he said, trying to switch to more pleasant topic.

“Oh, have no worries, Fleamont. I have a feeling we will hear about her soon enough.” Euphemia's eyes darkened, as the candles' flame cast a shadow on her face. “For better or worse,” she added quietly, so only the ghosts of Potter manor could hear her in the darkness of the dusk.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, have you forgotten me already? :)  
> In all seriousness, I am going to improve the pace and upload faster (maybe).  
> Also, in addition to the previos chapter, I wanted to clear what the name "Thalia" means.  
> Thalia was the one of eight muses who presided over comedy and idyllic poetry in greek mythology, so from here the reference to "her smiling face". It also means “to blossom” (from Greek “thallein”), which I thought would suit the Evans first name patterns.  
> *I guess a lot of you will think about Snape reading this line, but it's not him. This plot turn will be adressed later in the story.


	3. New acquaintances

_“There are people who are generic. They make generic responses and they expect generic answers. They live inside a box and they think people who don't fit into their box are weird. But I'll tell you what, generic people are the weird people. They are like genetically-manipulated plants growing inside a laboratory, like indistinguishable faces, like droids._ _Like ignorance.”_ _  
―_ _C. JoyBell C._

“You’ve ruined this batch,” Lily proclaimed, tapping a piece of rock-hard dough on the countertop.

Thalia, covered in flower and stains of blueberry jam, was wiping the sweat away from her forehead. Maybe turning on the oven in the hottest August morning of the century wasn’t such a good idea.

“Hey, they are not so bad!” Thalia tried to redeem her baking skills. “They are just…” she stopped, trying to find a good word.

“Burnt,” Lily finished for her, opening the curtain to let some fresh air into the kitchen.

“I would say crispy,” Thalia protested.

“Those are muffins, not biscuits, Tasha. They are _not supposed to be_ crispy,” followed the reply.

Thalia bit a piece of “what should be a muffin” and instantly spat it out. Burnt was an understatement if she had anything to say about that. She cast a disappointed glance at the baking tray before shaking out its contents in the garbage bin.

“What is the smell?” said Petunia, making her way into the kitchen; eyes still squinted from the sleep.

“Nothing.” 

“Tasha almost set the kitchen on fire,” simultaneously said the girls.

“Well thank you very much, Lily. As though I wasn’t feeling bad already,” Thalia plopped down on a chair and rested her head on its back.

“Why are you even here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready to go to the Diagon Alley?” the blonde girl grabbed the glass of orange juice out of the fridge and drank it in one go. How Petunia never gained weight from the tons of food she eats will remain an unsolved mystery to Thalia for the rest of her days.

“Since when do you care?” Lily questioned suspiciously, leaning on the wall opposite Tuney.

“Since Tasha is going to attend, obviously,” Petunia faced the window, avoiding the stare of the green eyes.

“Don’t start one more time. We have figured it out, haven’t we?” Thalia abruptly stopped the growing argument.

* * *

A year and a half have passed since Lily got her Hogwarts letter, which was followed by a visit from Hogwarts professor, the evening full of surprised exclamations and questions from Mr. and Mrs. Evans and short but precise answers from the mentioned professor, named Minerva McGonagall.

When Thalia asked about whether or not she will be accepted into Hogwarts, she got a rather strange answer.

Professor McGonagall, already at the doorstep, ready to vanish just as unexpectedly as she appeared a few hours ago, glanced a look at the younger girl as her lips curled into a little smile.

“I do not hold the right to share such information, but I strongly recommend you to check the mailbox on the day of your eleventh birthday, Miss Evans,” she said before her figure merged into the murky darkness of the street.

Her birthday came, so did the letter.

One of the many lessons Thalia will learn over the years - Professor McGonagall never gave empty hopes.

* * *

Since that visit, two oldest girls' relationships have gone down a bumpy road, to say the least, but Thalia somehow convinced Tuney to apologize to Lily for her nasty behavior last September and total lack of letters during the first terms of studies. God knows what words she used to reason this unbearable creature, but on the day of the Christmas Eve Lily got her letter, and, unlike her mother and little sister’s rustic handwritings, that was the calligraphic style she had waited for so long. It was not a total peace, more like a truce agreement. There was still sturdiness between the sisters; but even if they prickled one another in every single conversation, at least they talked. “And it was a win,” Thalia concluded smugly. 

“I agree on that with Petunia,” Lily turned away from observing Petunia’s neglectful posture. “Mom will wake up any minute and we’d better be dressed up by that time,” with that she turned away and run up the ladder, words traveling past her. “The last one in the room will clean the wardrobe!”

“That was a head start, you cheater!” Thalia rushed after her, jumping two steps at once.

An hour and one who-will-use-the-bathroom-first fight later, two girls and their mother were standing at the backyard of the Leaky Cauldron, tapping a brick in the wall, found by counting three up and two across, three times.

“Get ready,” Lily whispered.

The wall crumbled and the new world was finally exposed.

Diagon Alley was absolutely beautiful, and not at all how Thalia expected it to be. People in strange robes were hurrying on the streets, all carrying wand by their sides. Shops were in all possible shapes and sizes, so unlike the dull architecture of London. There were so many things on display: books in glittering covers, telescopes, pots, silk robes, funny hats, fire-spewing statuettes. 

Three figures entered the passage and stopped among the concoction of voices and colors. There were so many lights and flashes that Thalia had to blink a few times to adjust her sight.

An old shopkeeper demonstrated how to use magical powders which exploded in all colors of the rainbows as he touched them. Next to him, a witch in a pointy hat poured sparkling steamy potions into the bottles of the awaiting customers. And thousands of those shopkeepers and witches occupied the streets, selling their intricate goods.

Thalia felt as if she was caught up on stage in the middle of a performance and all the spotlights were directed at her.

“Where shall we go first?” Lily voiced mashed up with hundreds of sounds.

“The most costly and important purchases first,” said Mrs. Evans before she took the girls' hands and confidently barged into the crowd.

Thalia beat her elbows against passers-by and stepped on their feet, completely abandoning the attempts to apologize in a pile of such noise and pandemonium.

“Almost there!” exclaimed Mrs.Evans, turning from the main road to enter a narrow lane.

Large luminescent letters engraved above the oak doors they stopped in front of said only one word.

“Olivanders”, Thalia whispered in awe.

Mrs. Evans had slightly pushed Thalia to the entrance and she finally opened the doors.

The shop, which seemed tiny from the outside, in fact, turned out to be a long corridor with racks up to the ceiling.

The old man, fumbling at the upper shelves, flinched at the noise and swayed slightly on the stairs.

“Ah, Miss Evans, 10 and a quarter inch, willow, unicorn hair,” the old master said, awkwardly getting down.

“Correct as always, Mr. Ollivander,” Lily nodded approvingly, before ducking her neck closer to Thalia and whispering ‘I told you he’s genius’ in a voice of complete admiration.

“And here we have?” Mr. Ollivander smiled at Thalia, question in his voice.

“My name is Thalia, sir,” Thalia introduced herself.

“I will be flattered to pick you a wand, Thalia Evans, but measures first. Ready?” Mr. Ollivander waved his wand and a thin iron ruler with divisions, which had previously been lying on the floor, soared into the air.

Thalia shook her head so eagerly her vision was obscured for a moment by her own flowing hair.

“From shoulder to elbow, from elbow to hand, and head, don’t forget about the head,” muttered Mr. Olivander, writing down all the measurements in a thick leather-bound book while the ruler skillfully performed its job.

When all measurements and calculations were completed, Mr. Ollivander went in search of suitable magic wands.

Thalia watched as he made his way down the corridor, pulling one wand after another without even looking at the name on the box, as though he knew it already. And then it hit her: “He really _did_ know what was inside every single one of them.”

Having placed on the table about 10 boxes of different lengths and colors, the old wizard proceeded to try on.

”9 inches, holly, dragon's heartstring,” Mr.Ollivander announced.

He didn’t need to repeat twice - the girl’s emerald eyes lit up with curiosity, and she picked up a wand. But that one was a miss, she understood quickly after black sparks fell down and scorched the wooden floorboard, making Lily jump to the side.

“No, no, not at all what you need,” muttered Ollivander and snatched the wand from Thalia’s hands. “12 inches, larch, unicorn hair. Test it.”

Thalia took the wand but didn’t even have the time to wave it, as it already was in the hands of Mr. Ollivander.

Thalia tried 10-inch ash, and 11-inch pine, and hawthorn with a phoenix feather. Some sparkled slightly, others blinked, others did absolutely nothing, but Mr. Ollivander still wasn’t content. It has been a good hour, the mountain of tested wands became higher and higher.

After another failed attempt, Mr. Ollivander went deeply thoughtful.

“I didn’t even think about it,” he said quietly, talking to himself rather than the clients. His eyes sparkled with concern, and with all the speed that decrepit body was capable of, he stumbled into the very depths of the store.

When his shriveled figure disappeared behind the shelves, Thalia turned to Mrs. Evans.

“Maybe there is not a wand for me? Maybe I am not a witch at all?” sucking in the air she felt the salty taste of forming tears on her tongue.

“Stop it, Tasha. Of course, you are, otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”

“Mom’s right. Wands are complicated, but yours will be found, I am sure,” Lily gentle patted her sister's cheek. A small gesture, but it always calmed Thalia, like a gust of fresh morning wind that carried away all worries.

Mr. Ollivander returned at this time. In his hands, he held an old dusty box, covered in some places with a cobweb.

“You are a special witch, as I was convinced. And that means you need an unusual wand.”

Mr. Ollivander opened the box and handed Thalia a thin trapezoidal wand. It was very beautiful: the simple form was compensated by an unusual design, the snow-white color of the wood was decorated with gilding; starting at the base of the wand, it, like a vine, entwined a thin pole.

"11 inches, white cypress, the feather of the phoenix. Flexible and elegant, but durable, not easy to break. I made this wand many years ago for an exceptional sorceress ... Well, she never had the chance to use it, but it will serve you faithfully. Give it a try.” genuine interest was burning in the eyes of the master.

It was _the_ wand - Thalia understood, barely touching her.

Slight sweep cut through the air; the room lit up with radiant white light.

Mr. Ollivander's face shone with satisfaction.

“Definitely what you need,” he carefully took the wand and began to pack it, “and very, very fascinating.”

“What exactly do you find fascinating, sir?” Thalia caught a hint of sorrow in the way he said it.

“The wand chooses the wizard, little miss. Some enhance the quality of their master, others pacify. The strength of cypress combined with the temperament of the phoenix is a rare and powerful combination. Your wand is very initiative, and you still have to earn its respect. But if you succeed, then your joint magic will be, I will not be afraid to say, outstanding.”

After the payment was made, Thalia lingered at the exit, a sudden rush to come back and ask about the girl who he had made it for overthrew her.

But she didn’t have a chance. All of a sudden, Thalia felt a cold touch on the skin: the right hand, in which she carefully held her new 11-inch treasure, was wedged between the prehensile fingers. Thalia raised her eyes to meet the intruder.

She couldn’t turn the gaze away from the woman’s face. Sickly - the first thought popped into girl’s head – the face she was looking at was ailing and pale, as though someone injected a bleach right under that paper-thin skin. Lifeless blond hair framed witch’s sharp cheekbones and long jaw. But what stroke Thalia the most was the eyes: vicious, they swirled her in until she felt drowning in the quagmire of those blurry brown spheres. 

Thalia gripped her wand tighter and pulled her hand off. The woman didn’t let go, just waited until tiny arm slipped through her fingers.

One more stare, and the stranger turned on her heels and vanished, leaving Thalia looking at the empty spot.

“Hurry up, honey. We have so much shopping to do!” Mrs. Evans's voice sliced the air, ringing like a siren in the girl’s numbed ears.

“Coming “, Thalia swallowed the settling lump in her throat and finally followed her family.

* * *

The drove at the London train station and parked near enough to carry two jam-packed suitcases to the mysterious 9 ¾ platform without hurting their backs. Petunia prudently said goodbye to the sisters at home, tightly kissing Thalia and reluctantly hugging Lily. Taking into account her not fully formed attitude to magic, girl did not dare to appear in a place where so many wizards were gathered.

Lily entered the train first to take the seats, but Thalia still stood at the platform, head resting on her mother’s shoulder as they hugged in the farewell. Mrs. Evans' skin was smooth and silky; the smell of her sage soup, which Thalia wouldn’t be able to feel for at least three months, made the girl melancholic.

“I’ll miss you, Mama”, she tried to ignore the moisture in the corners of her eyes.

Mrs. Evans pulled back, thinking that sending two daughters away was probably more than a mother can take. She gently brushed her palm along Thalia’s wet cheek and tucked a naughty lock of loose brown hair behind her ear.

“Me too, dear” she couldn’t restrain herself and leaned in for yet another embrace, the sense of longing already forming in her chest. “Study well and listen to Lily. Dad and I will write every week.”

Mr. Evans handed Thalia the suitcase. She said her last goodbyes and went to the carriage.

The most responsible students had already taken their seats, but the majority still remained on the platform: older students laughed and shouted, saying goodbye to their families and greeting classmates whom they didn’t see all summer. Younger kids cautiously moved towards the train, looking around with alarm and admiration.

She walked towards the conductor, the man who stood there in such a standard red uniform, as though it was a typical trip and not the magical school he was sending the children into.

Thalia peered through the windows, her eyes searching for the ginger crown of hair, as someone bumped into her. Thalia lurched and hardly held back from falling on the red tile paved path.

“Sorry,” tall brunette boy said guiltily, helping Thalia restore her balance. “Didn’t look where I was going,”

“That’s fine, don’t worry," Thalia reassured him. “Just be careful next time.”

“I am Remus Lupin, by the way,” he said,but before Thalia could answer,someone called him out from behind and he hurried in the voice direction.

* * *

There were either too many wizards who turned eleven this year, or something went wrong with the planning of train capacity, but cabins were _loaded_. Students snuggled as tightly as possible in an attempt to make more room for the unfortunate fellows who couldn’t find a place elsewhere.

Thalia found Lily with Severus, the boy her sister befriended not long ago.

For Thalia's liking, he sat too close to the girl even considering the limited space.

Opposite of them were two girls, one of them - skinny girl in a strange robe made of... _foils?_ \- had a stack of suspiciously black colored candies on her lap, one of which, judging by the light grayness on her lips and unnaturally protruding cheek, she was currently eating.

The other one – the blond girl with sky-blue dazzling eyes, probably the same age as Thalia - was vigorously trying to hex her cat.

While the first one didn’t even seem to notice Thalia’s entrance, the later dropped her unsuccessful attempts and switched her full attention to Thalia.

“Hey there,” she gritted enthusiastically. “Your owl is such a cutie!”

“Thanks,” Thalia responded, levitating her baggage on the upper shelf and getting down on the bench next to Lily. “He seems to like you,” she put her finger through the cage and stroke soft feathers. Owl joyously purred in reply.

“Oh, he is nice too,” the girl continued. “And look at what I got – the hell of a beast which can’t even sit still for a second,” she knelled down to catch the pet, but the cat only hissed at her and hid in the corner of the compartment. “I am Marlene McKinnon, by the way. First-year.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Thalia smiled. “My name is Thalia Evans. I am also new.”

“You are sisters then?” Marlene nodded towards Lily, who she must have chattered and acquainted with before Thalia entered. Lily heard the question and finally stopped the heated discussion about potions she had with Severus.

“Yes, we are,” she joined in the conversation, as Severus turned away from them mumbling ‘you have to squeeze the beans, not crush it, but no, you never, never trust me’ with the expression of complete betrayal written on his face.

“We are less than a year apart,” Thalia added.

“Do you want to study in the same house?” Marlene went on asking. “I would _looove_ to have a sibling in Hogwarts. We would have so much fun together. Just imagine: wandering in the nights in the corridors, exploring the hidden secrets of the castle. Isn’t it wonderful? ”

“It sounds like a lot of fun,” Thalia replied before Lily could even stumble about the violation of the rules. That girl with her bubbly questions and confidence in the boyish kind of voice started to win over Thalia´s affection. “ I would prefer to wonder the outsides of castle tough, like seeing the Giant Squid in the Great Lake, or meeting the centaurs in the forbidden forests,” Thalia added dreamily, already imagining herself in the thicket among the magical creatures.

“You two realize that everything you've just mentioned is strictly prohibited?” Lily intervened. “The school has a curfew which compliance is controlled by the head of houses. You can't just wander somewhere in the middle of the night, especially in dangerous places like The Forbidden forest. Centaurs aren’t exactly the friendliest creatures.”

“But they are really kind,” the girl next to Marlene suddenly retorted, “just misunderstood, like a lot of magical species. They live different lives, and people tend to oppress and demolish the ones that are different from themselves,” her watery eyes stopped on Lily, who seemed ready to oppose. “Did you know that centaurs predicted lots of catastrophes, tried to warn the humankind about the Great Storm of the 1703 and First World War?”

“I... didn't know that,” Lily admitted, her cheeks burned with a blush of shame.

Thalia could only listen, spellbound by that strange girl.

“I’ve read that centaurs are talented at Divination and Astrology, but the book never mentioned that they tried to protect people from what they foresaw,” Thalia marveled.

“Books are written by people, and they can be narrowed in their believes and views. It is sad, really.”

“How do you know that, if you haven’t read about it, Pandora?” Marlene questioned. 

“Pandora then,” Thalia mentally noted that this ancient name somehow fitted her perfectly.

“They told me,” Pandora said calmly, as though she just stated the most obvious thing in the world.

“And by them you meant centaurs?” Severus couldn’t hold off the enmity oozing through the words.

“Of course.”

“Yeh, you met centaurs and I’ve been raised by goblins."

“Hey, no need to be rude, Sev,” Lily poked him in the side with her elbow, but he didn’t seem to care.

“She is obviously lying and I honestly don’t know how you can’t see that,” he jeered. “I met them,” Severus mimicked Pandora’s detached tone and grimaced.

“How can you be so hypocrite and narrow-minded? We are literally going to study magic, and yet you don’t believe that it is possible to meet a centaur.” Thalia crossed her hands in a defending positions.

“Anyways, don’t take offense, Pandora,” she turned to the girl.

The blonde shuddered slightly upon hearing her name as if she fell out of reality for a moment. Over the many years of the following friendship, Thalia would eventually stop noticing that trait of Pandora’s behavior.

“What?” Pandora asked, coming back from her thoughts.

“Told you,” said Severus, rolling his eyes. The implication of this gesture was clear. “She is crazy,” he wanted to say.

Thalia didn’t know whether Pandora really didn’t care about the hurtful words, or she was just hiding it pretty well (Thalia leaned towards the first) but the girl didn’t even flinch an eyebrow.

“Do you want a candy? I made it myself,” she said instead, offering the group her strangely looking snack.

“I’ll pass, thank you. Had a chocolate frog on my way here,” Marlene refused, showing the crumpled package as a proof.

Lily too politely declined the offer. Severus didn’t even answer, as though it was a lost cause, but Thalia just couldn’t say no to those dreamy eyes.

“Yes, thank you,” she grabbed two pieces out.

“It can’t be so bad,” Thalia thought, biting into it.

_Boy, was she wrong!_

Thalia’s muffins were just an artwork with a Michelin star compared to Pandora’s creation.

“It is delicious,” she swallowed the gooey substance without chewing and tried her hardest not to gag that instant. She put the rest on the table, not wishing to taste it ever again.

“It’s made of bicorn milk and poppy dust. Good for the memory,” Pandora said happily. “About the memory, I promised to visit Xenophilius. I wonder if he brought the doxy hairs,” with that she left, not even bothering to take her suitcase.

Thalia badly wished to go to the toilets and wash her mouth with the ton of soap, but right after she stood up and reached for the handle, someone opened the door from the other side and she froze face to face with the most unlikely of people.

“Thalia?”

“James?”

He stood at the entrance, taller than she remembered – no wonder, it has been almost one and a half years. She shouldn’t have been surprised upon seeing him. “He is a wizard, and there is only one magical school in England. Of course, he would attend Hogwarts,” Thalia realized. She was shoked that didn’t pop in her head earlier.

“Hey, give some room, mate,” someone put a hand on James' shoulder, forcing him to move a little, letting the other boy enter.

“Hm?” the boy who accompanied James waved toward Thalia.

Lushes curly hair, broad shoulders - he was certainly handsome, Thalia noticed- but something was lacking, he seemed too… pretentious. His grey eyes reminded her of the skies before the thunder- clear at first, only to stun people with cold pouring rain later. She felt like that boy was the same, waiting for the right moment to catch her off guard.

“What?” James shook his head with a huff, finally acknowledging his presence.

“Introduce us, you hopeless ignoramus.” 

“I am Thalia,” Thalia proceeded James, feeling uncomfortable with his attention.

“Sirius Black at your service!” black-haired boy bowed to the ground, and then laughed, catching Thalia’s confused look.

“Don’t worry about him. He is a poser, can’t miss a chance to show off in front of the Lady,” James grinned.

“Well, that makes two of you, doesn’t it, Potter?” Lily stood and stepped forward, shielding her sister.

Thalia never saw Lily starting a conversation so hostile.

Something was clearly up.

“And the heaven will collapse sooner than Evans will be nice to me.”

“And here I thought we were having a great conversation, and the skies are still above us, right?” Thalia tried to broke the growing tension.

“Pardon me?”

“I am an Evans too,” she smiled. “Lily’s younger sister.”

“Wow,” Sirius was the first one to respond. “Why did you hide such a charm from us?”

Lily rolled her eyes, doomed.

“How do you know my sister?” Lily eyed James, clearly ignoring the last question.

“We met at muggle London.” 

Thalia was glad he skipped the circumstances of the meeting, especially the part when she _destroyed_ the street.

“Hey,” Sirius squeezed between Lily and James. Apparently, something on the table caught his attention. “Dear Merlin, I hope it’s not what I think it is. Don’t tell someone ate Goldstein’s treats. Every first-year student knows that you can’t try anything that weirdo offers,” he said, sniffing the candies Thalia left there. “That shit is nasty.”

“How can you have an opinion when you have never tried one? Don’t just spat some cliché phrases to be noticed.” Thalia said coolly, her peace-maker mood is suddenly gone. “I quite enjoyed it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to get a pumpkin pastry.”

She made her way to the corridor under her sister’s approving look and James’ frustrated ‘Wait!’.

Marlene, silently watching the scene earlier, caught up to her.

“Was it actually nice or you were just fucking with them?” Marlene lowered her voice to avoid rebuke about her language from the trolley-lady.

“If Pandora ever offers you one, don’t take it, it’s awful,” Thalia whispered back, devouring the bottle of water she just bought to get rid of the aftertaste.

“I like you, Thalia Evans. I have a feeling we are going to get along,” Marlene swung around to grin at her widely.

Thalia noded in agreement, somewhow knowing that those were not just empty words. 

“It was worth making Black’s jaw drop though.”

“I guess.”

She was not certain about that; fighting with her future schoolmates was not exactly how she pictured her first ride at Hogwarts express.

But the perky tone of her campanion defused the air around her little by little.

So, when the objects of her distress, aka Black and Potter, were nowhere to be seen, and Thalia was standing at the castle’s gate, with Lily and Marlene by her side, she felt like the happiest person in the entire galaxy.

She couldn’t hold an ‘oh’ swirling of her lips.

_Hogwarts was awaiting._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful people!  
> That is not my favorite part, I'll have to admit. That one was more of a transition chapter. There are a lot of dialogs here and I am still trying to find my stile writing them.  
> Still hope you'll enjoy it.  
> Please review and leave kudos if you do, it really means a lot to me as a writer:))


	4. Finding trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time jump!!!!  
> All actions take place three years after the last chapter.

Light invaded the pre-dawn darkness of the bedroom; sunbeams bounced off the mirrors and reflected on the vaulted ceiling. Small beam touched Thalia’s face, waking her up from a colorful dream. Thalia shivered, her toes were sticking under the blanket and she pulled her legs closer, curling up in the fetal position. A soft lump under her side meowed with displeasure and jumped out of bed. Marlene’s cat got a taste for sleeping in girls’ beds; alternately sleeping with Thalia and Mary, it stoically avoided Marlene’s company.

Thalia got up and made her way to the windows barefoot, the coolness of the wooden floor tickled her skin. She opened the window leaf and frosty winter air hit her, chasing away the remnants of sleepiness.

The most amazing of views was on display: the treetops of the Forbidden Forest were covered with snow caps; footprints dotted the clearing in front of the castle, exposing the cracked surface of the earth, which from the height of Gryffindor tower seemed like some quaint pattern.

Thalia was glad she was sorted into Gryffindor for many reasons, and living in a tower with such beautiful sights was one of them. She lovingly touched the lion’s emblem on her shirt and the memory instantly carried her to 3 three years ago.

* * *

The Sorting Ceremony was about to begin. Professor McGonagall took them to the hall and now Thalia stood among other first-years, her knees buckled slightly half from worries half from excitement. She could see how Marlene folded her hands in supplication, mumbling something of “please, not Slytherin” kind. Some boy in front of her, shifting from foot to foot, tangled in the flaps of his incredibly long robes and stumbled – “nervous” was written all over his face.

Was it really so important to be sorted into the precise house? She wanted to think no, but the possibility to study in the same house as Lily was definitely alluring. She sifted her gaze from the poor clumsy fellow to the center of the hall.

Four massive wooden tables with carved legs and corresponding house colors took up most of the space. Older students settled down on the benches, waiting for the new ones to join in.

Thalia could see Lily at the middle table: the scarlet tie in gold stripes loosened around her neck. Lily caught Thalia’s glance, raised her hand and waved.

When Dorothy Vans was sorted into Ravenclaw, McGonagall finally called out Thalia’s name.

“Evans, Thalia.”

Thalia made her way to an unreliably fragile-looking old stool and put on the Hat.

“Well-well, what do we have here?” a high-pitched voice rang in her head. “Ambitious, but to principled for a Slytherin, aren’t you? I see intelligence, a desire for knowledge, but also courage and daring heart. Better be…”

Thalia held her breath.

“Gryffindor!”

The second table from the right burst out in a storm of applause, James and Lily being the loudest applauders.

Her table was later joined by Marlene and a few other boys and girls, the sorting of which was welcomed with sincere smiles and loud whistles that students generously presented to the new-comers.

“Hey,” Marlene’s juicy yawn brought her back to reality, “turn off the light, for Merlin’s sake. Let a girl enjoy her Sunday sleep.”

“It’s Monday, Marley.”

“You have to be kidding me!” Marlene exclaimed, making it clear that she was utterly disappointed.

They made their way down to the great hall. Thalia sat down near Lily and filled her cup with tea.

Lily was fully gone in an attempt to explain Alice the laws of physics.

“And if you drop the book, it will fall to the ground, because of the gravitation,” Lily gesticulated frantically, dropping her charms manual to the floor with a loud “bum”.

“But I can accio it, right? And the gravitation won’t work. So why do you need to learn the laws that aren’t even working properly?” Alice, petite brunette with a pixy cut, pooled the book from the floor with a wave of her wand.

“These laws _do_ function for muggles. And our parents think that we should be aquatinted with both worlds.” Thalia said conciliatory. She filled her plate with oats and put some fresh berries on the side.

Alice made a face, clearly showing that all of that muggle stuff was of no use in her opinion.

“How do you manage to learn so much?” Marlene squinted. “My brain is exploding from the magic classes only.”

“It’s not that hard, really,” Thalia took a sip of her tea trying not to burn herself.

“Said teachers’ favorite,” Eddie Miller, their fellow student, merged into the conversation.

Teachers loved Thalia, that was true. They expected her to be like Lily because her diligent older sister was the favorite almost in every class. “It has to be a family thing,” Marlene noted. Thalia had her doubts about that.

“Talented girl!” professors said regarding her. But Thalia knew that the talent they praised so much went side by side with disaster.

She remembered how all the pots in the cabinet exploded to smithereens when the potion she was brewing turned out wrong and she got upset. Or that case when Mulciber called Marlene a savage and his voice suddenly turned to sheep bleat. There were a whole lot of other incidents, some more … destructive and unexpected than others, and Thalia didn’t even raise her wand. Professors told her it will stabilize over time, and her control management became somewhat better over the years, but her magic still had a character of her own.

“There is loads of magic inside you,” Severus once told her. She caught a subtle note of envy in his cracking voice.

“Some just spend more time in the library than In front of the mirror, Edie,” Marlene cut off.

Eddie turned away resentfully, straightening his already perfectly styled her.

Marlene wanted to add something else but was interrupted by a group of noisy boys energetically discussing something on their way to the Gryffindor table.

Marauders.

“I can outfly anyone in Hogwarts,” James boasted arrogantly.

“You could easily shove his broomstick up his bu…” Thalia hissed, not letting Marlene finish her tirade.

“What, is it not true? You are the best flyer this school has ever seen!” she stopped butchering her stake (honestly, a stake for breakfast?) and turned full attention to Thalia.

Thalia loved flying, it was no secret. When she rushed into the air, everything else was left behind, the same spot her foot got off the ground. It was not the adrenaline she enjoyed the most if you ask her. At least not in a common sense when you experience something scary and dangerous and it makes your brain produce that strange hormone so many people try to find jumping with parachute or diving with sharks, or whatever else they did try to fill their lives with. Well, she was never afraid of heights, so it was not her case anyway. What really made blood pump through her veins with the strength of Gulf Stream current was the wild sense of freedom. There was nothing to worry about, nothing to constantly hold in the corner of her mind: no unfinished homework, no parchment scrolls to be done, and no nasty bugs to butcher for a potion. She loved everything mentioned, don’t get her wrong (maybe except for the bugs), but it was nice to clear the head once in a while. Thalia genuinely didn’t understand how someone could hate it, but she knew for a fact a lot of people did. Lily was not fond of flying, to say it gently. And Marlene, her reckless best friend, (out of all people!) with starling consistency refused to even touch the broom. In the first lesson, madam Hooch wrote it off to the lack of confidence, but when the same scene repeated over and over again, the professor stopped trying to instill in her any flying skills.

‘Suicidal tendencies’ Marlene called them. When the first year of compulsory flight classes was finished, Marley was in heaven.

“Well, we don’t know that. Besides, I want to be as far away from Marauders’ circle of awareness as possible when it comes to flying. Remember when Sirius challenged James once? They were flying 5 hours nonstop."

In truth, Thalia wanted to be as far from their circle of awareness as possible when it came to everything. James was charming and funny, but in his pranks, he saw no boundaries. He was a brave person, idealist, and didn’t know how to condone people’s weaknesses. And what bothered Thalia the most, is that he just turned out to be somewhere near her all the time. Of course, they lived in the same dorms, and seeing one another was inevitable, but sometimes she could feel his gaze on her back and it gave her shivers. (“At least he is not offering you to date him every single time you talk,” Lily signed helplessly.)

Her relationships with Sirius were ruined during the first ride. After the episode in the cabin she rethought the conversation and wanted to apologize for the rather sharp words she said. But when she approached him, he acted nastily and mocked her. Sirius’ pride was hurt, and now their communication came down to one scenario: Thalia tried to avoid him, Sirius tried to annoy her.

Remus, the boy who bumped into her once, seemed like a nice and timid person. But he never stopped the two from the evil jokes, even though she doubted he took part in any of them.

The last one of the group, chubby boy with flaxen hair named Peter, in his aging to imitate everything James and Sirius did made Thalia feel sorry for his lack of individuality and self-confidence.

All and all, she felt pretty uncomfortable around the quartet.

“Just saying,” Marlene put a huge piece of roasted beef in her mouth, “that it would be great to cut his wings once in a while.”

“I would rather let Lily do that, she is pretty handy with him lately.”

Lily wanted to protest, but they all saw how the redhead “gifted” James horns the last time he bothered her.

“They are going to see you at the qualifiers any way,” Alice put aside the fashion journal she was reading.

“Who said I am going to participate?” Thalia said calmly.

“But you are 15 now; your parents don’t have to sign permission.”

Mrs. and Ms. Evans shared Marlene’s believes regarding flying. And quidditch, which was flying multiplied by the broken bones and dislocated limbs, were off-limits for both Evans girls. At least for as long as parents could control it.

“Oh, I could easily forge their signatures if I wanted to play.”

“Thalia Jasmine Evans!” Lily indignantly gulped, choking on her soda.

“In theory,” Thalia added imperturbably. “The point is, quidditch, at least playing it, is not of any interest to me. I personally think the game rules limit the freedom of action, don’t leave enough space for improvisation. Don’t you agree?”

“Is it me you are asking?” Marlene arched her light brows, implying ‘I have never held a broom in my arms, girl’.

“Yep, never mind.”

“Hey, there you are, Brody.”

Brody, her owl, swooped down on the table next to Thalia, a pile of newspapers was tied to his sinewy brown paw. The owlet smacked, pecked the rest of the porridge from her plate, and only then allowed the mail to be taken.

She skimmed through the lines, hoping for the good news.

“The tension in the wizarding world grows”, “Death eaters: a flock of bandits or a threat to the magical community?”, “Group calling themselves the Death Eaters promote purebloods to unite” was written on top of every single magazine.

She put the newspapers and the magazines aside, turning them headlines down only not to see the hated words.

She had long got used to the ‘Mudblood’ following her everywhere. But that was a word, an empty insult from insecure, narrow-minded Slytherins. She didn’t let it hurt her. A slight inconvenience in the wonderful world of magic she had to endure – that what it was. Establishing a group that propagandized the persecution of Muggle-borns was a different matter entirely.

“What does your father say?” She noticed how Marlene flinched at the sign of the black-covered figure on the front page. Charles McKinnon, broad-shouldered man Thalia met the last summer, has been running the head of Major Investigation Department.

Marlene knitted her brows together, revealing her concern.

“Not much. Aurors spotted their last shelter, but the assholes got away. Dad thinks they won’t last long.”

“They are just a bunch of sadist. Ministry will put an end to this, don’t worry.” Lily assured her.

Thalia wished she had as much confidence as her sister. She genuinely considered buying the sneakoscope for her parents _._ And no, she was not paranoid, just cautious.

“Girls,” James approached the group, pretending not to notice how Lily immediately turned away. “What all the arguing is about?” James messed his hair and leaned closer to them over the table.

“I was just saying that Thalia could easily tear you apart on the broom.”

_Oh, you are so screwed, Marlene McKinnon._

“Really?” he smiled, his mocking stare flickering between the girls. “What about a competition then?”

“No,” Thalia merely looked up from her breakfast, unwilling to succumb to provocation.

“If you are as good as Marlene says, you don’t have to worry, right?” he questioned cheekily, trying to lure her further into a trap.

“I am not getting myself in any jokes of yours, James. Attempts to dare me won't work, though I applaud the effort.”

“What if not a challenge, but a wager?” Thalia blinked, waiting for him to continue. “If I lose in a race, Marauders will cancel the karaoke nights for a month.”

“The drunken moans the whole common room has to listen to every single Friday you call karaoke?” Thalia tried to suppress an urge to smirk, but James' offended expression confirmed that she failed. “What will _you_ get if I lose?”

“The most valuable prize of all – information. I will ask you one question that you will answer truthfully.”

“Will I have to drink a Veritaserum or something?”

“No, just swear, that will do. Come on, Tasha, that’s a great deal!”

Her consciousness screamed her to stop. “Danger” small hammers were clattering inside her skull. Of course, she didn’t listen.

“Thursday. Meet you after the sunset at Hagrid’s,” she agreed, ignoring Lily’s protests on the background.

“No spectators, Marlene,” Thalia warned in a tone that allowed no objections. “And no support group either.”

James followed her gaze in Marauders' direction.

“Pinky swear,” he held his hand for a deal-binding handshake. 

* * *

That night, after having an exhausting library experience full of Lily’s lectures about betting and “messing with unwanted individuals”, Thalia felt drained. She laid on thin sheets, feeling every spring of the mattress cutting into her skinny teenage body, on which the curves of breasts and hips have recently become looming... (An explicit reminder that her fifteenth birthday was approaching)

Flashbacks of today's conversation flooded Thalia’s senses, one question on her mind:

_What the hell has she gotten herself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooorry guys! I didn't want to make a cliché, but if Thalia doesn't belong in Gryffindor, I don't know who does.  
> Stick with me to find out who is going to be the winner of the bet.  
> Also, isn't Marlene adorable?  
> Pls, let me know your thoughts on this chapter))


	5. Loosing and Winning

_"The most truly generous persons are those who give silently without hope of praise or reward." – Carol Rylie Brink_

**December 5 th, 1975.**

It was dark and damp, the only lantern illuminating the corridor flickering dimly in the gloom.

Two people stood in the darkness. The tall man, face hidden by the hood of his robe, was holding a gray parcel wrapped in parchment paper. The girl standing opposite him, whom Thalia could only see from behind, accepted the parchment. There was so little light, Thalia couldn’t pick out any details about their appearance, the only guidance was the voices, and they confused her even more.

The man had an excellent bearing and posture, his spine straight as a stick. “Are you sure you're doing the right thing, darling? If you tell me the name–”

His voice was imperious, like he has given many commands by that same voice during his lifetime. But it wasn’t cruel at all, more measured and comfortable. The same voice father admonishes a naughty child. His words sunk deep within her years. 

“The child must live without your intervention. Its fate has not yet been decided,” girl interrupted abruptly. 

“I can guide her.” His voice sounded so familiar, but Thalia just could place it in her head. She knew this _manner_ , she knew this _man_ , but she just couldn’t recognize him. Like her mind was building the wall in front of the part of memory storage he belonged in.

She felt lost, like always. She scraped her consciousness in search of information. She found nothing. It felt unbearable.

The girl put the parchment in the folds of her clothes, and only then answered:

“You had a chance to relieve her of her burden. You did not use it, now the girl must choose her own path.”

“I do not punish crimes that have not been committed yet, my child,” the man declared sorrowfully.

Suddenly, the girl turned around, as if she felt Thalia's gaze. She seemed to forget about the conversation she was having, she seemed to forget that there _even was_ another person with her. 

The stale air became misty, covering the girl's face and figure.

The dark spot, where the face was supposed to be, bore into Thalia.

“Find me!” The voice echoed from the walls. He sounded sharp and harsh, older than a moment ago as if the girl had aged instantly.

“Stop!” Thalia stepped forward, trying to disperse the fog with her hands. But the faster she walked forward, the further she was pulled back, the more her hands tore the mist, the thicker it became.

“I don't know your name!” Thalia yelled in desperation.

“Find me!”

Thalia woke up, sweat streaming all over her body. She dangled her legs off the bed, slipped her wet feet into the terry slippers, and got up.

The clock struck midnight. Thalia took her wand out of the nightstand and whispered “lumos.”

It was terribly cold, but the coldness came from the inside. Thalia was sure that even a warming spell would not be able to keep her warm that night.

Thalia opened the bedroom door as quietly as possible so as not to wake her neighbors and ran down the spiral staircase.

The common room, heated by a brightly burning fireplace, was not empty. Thalia did not expect to see someone at such a late hour, but Lily was sitting on the sofa next to the fire, her face exposed to streams of heat, with a textbook in her hands.

"Tasha," Lily whispered in surprise, turning eyes to her sister.

The latter, judging by the horridness in Lily's tone, looked terrible. Indeed, the long brown hair was tangled from sleep, the cotton pajamas were soaking wet and sticking to the body like duct tape.

Lily immediately moved, gesturing in invitation.

Thalia, without thinking twice, dove into Lily's arms, resting her head on a small shoulder in descending freckles.

Lily threw one hand behind Thalia's back, rhythmically stroking her sister's icy leg with the other. Thalia didn't like being touched, and in any other situation she would oppose, but there was no place for personal boundaries and prohibitions with Lily.

“Nightmares again?”

Thalia nodded and tossed some wood from the woodpile with a wave of her wand, feeding the fire.

“She still disappears at the last moment, escapes into the darkness. It feels like I'm just about to see her face, but everything ends as usual ... No answers.”

The log flared with tongues of blue flame and split in the fire; Thalia flinched.

“It's just a figment of my imagination, right? I'm not a seer,” Thalia whispered uncertainly, and it sounded like a question, though she meant it as an assurance.

Lily paused, her eyes fixed on the fireplace, but Thalia knew her thoughts were wandering somewhere far away.

“We used to think that magic didn't exist. After five years at Hogwarts, you begin to believe that everything has a secret meaning and anything is possible,” Lily finally declared, her tone is deadly serious.

Thalia pulled up the blanket and covered them both with it. Lily's hair refracted the gentle light, penetrating its smooth layers. Four years of nightmares had only one remedy – the girl with hair the color of autumn leaves and dear hands.

“You are so beautiful,” Thalia thought, watching her sister with great love. Lily was Thalia's best friend, a wonderful gift that fate brought her for some unknown merits. With her Thalia was free. The laughter of this red-haired nymph rose in fertile fields in Thalia's soul, her smile dispelled all the storm clouds, allowing the life-giving rain to fall on the soil of Thalia's existence.

It was easier to breathe with Lily. Sometime Thalia thought she would not have been able to breathe at all if her sister had not been there, by her side.

“What were you doing up so late?” Thalia tried to change the subject.

“I was reading.” Lily pulled the previously abandoned book closer so Thalia could see the title. A large-sized tome with massive black metal inlays read: The Crimes of Gellert Grindelwald.

“You said there was nothing to worry about and now you read _this_ ," Thalia took the book in her hands disapprovingly, but did not open it. There was no need: if Lily had looked at the spine, at the library notes, she would have seen the name ‘Thalia Evans’ written in Miss Pince’s neat handwriting in the recent users column.

“I still believe that unnecessary worries will lead to nothing good. Voldemort is not Grindelwald,” Lily deflected.

“But he could become,” Thalia thought, but kept the remark to herself. If only she knew how right and, at the same time, wrong she was. Over time it will become clear that this comparison clearly underestimated the full power of a person without a name. But that would be later, for now, two girls at the fireplace could still enjoy the little piece of childhood they had left.

“I'm worried about Sev,” Lily filled the silence of the room.

“He got in touch with bad company,” Thalia confirmed.

“Every day I try to explain to him that people like Mulciber bring trouble.”

“Sorry to say, Lily, but I believe that Severus, in particular, has absolutely nothing to fear,” Thalia said softly, not wanting to offend her sister, but also unable to encourage her love for Snape.

“He's not a bad person,” Lily protested, confidence in her words.

_“Eternal belief in the best in people is a typical feature of all Evans,” Marlene once remarked with a grin._

“Perhaps, but he's not kind. He is different when you are around, more gentle, it's true. And yet he is so embittered with the world that sometimes you forget that he can be.”

Lily's cheeks burned with an unhealthy blush. “He's still my friend, and I just want to keep him away from bad influences.” 

“But he doesn't want that. I'm not telling you to stop your communication, but you should see his flaws too, Lily.”

Lily stopped fiddling with a strand of Thalia's hair, which had already become a messy mug. “And if I still see potential in him? If, despite all the flaws, I'm sure he could be ... better?”

Thalia met her sister's gaze and said, not to reassure, but absolutely sincerely:

“Then I believe you. Then he _can_ be.”

Lily exhaled the breath she didn’t know she was holding.

Hours later, when they were heading back to their quarters, Lily stopped at the doorsteps of Thalia’s bedroom. She eyed Thalia when she was just about to sneak into the room and said something Thalia was not expecting at all.

The corner of Lily’s mouth quirked up when she was saying what pinned Thalia to the spot. “Good luck with the race, littlest. I bet Potter will be swallowing the dust today."

* * *

The field they decided to meet was quite, incredibly so. Marlene kept the promise and didn’t show up which was a miracle by itself, considering the girl’s curiosity. Hagrid probably went to feed the creatures in the forest, so only a stream of smoke from the chimney of the hut broke the complete pacification of nature. 

Thalia came a little earlier: she wanted to watch the solar disk slowly drifting beyond the horizon. The deep orange of the sky gave way to a muted pink, coloring the vast skies in the shades of fresh spring flowers.

“Just like the peonies in our garden,” Thalia though. She stretched out her hand, as if in an attempt to grasp the last rays of the setting sun, but they slipped through her fingers, the horizon line dragged them, leaving only clouds in the sky. Having lost their golden tint, the clouds were circling above her head like the flock of little grey sheep.

James lingered, and somewhere deep in her heart, she hoped that he would never appear, and she would remain standing here, alone to meet the approach of night.

“Sorry, I couldn't get away from Peter, he kept following me,” a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. “Ready to lose?”

James swapped out his school gown for black jeans and a coat with a huge Montrose Magpies logo. Instead of his brand new Nimbus, he held a battered school broom, the same as Thalia. She was not against Nimbus, but it was nice of him to equalize their chances to the maximum.

“You are right on time, I was just wondering how quickly you would lose the sight of me,” Thalia smiled, tearing her gaze away from the horizon.

He caught up with her, giving her 'I’ll charm everyone' smile, which drove crazy more than one naïve girl (and for which Thalia _definitely_ developed immunity).

“Don't worry, I don't think I'll look back at all.”

There was genuine excitement in his eyes. So carried away, just like a child.

Hands tense, Thalia saw him lean forward slightly with his chest, and his glasses shifted a fraction of an inch on his perfectly shaped nose. Half of the school was head over hills for James Potter, while the other half were male, which, by definition, equaled to being envious of him. And of course, we must not forget about Lily, who could not stand even the reminder of his persona. At the crossroads of opinions regarding Potter, where one sign read 'Adorers' and the other 'Haters', Thalia got stuck somewhere in the middle.

Thalia tossed a flag in the air, which she thoughtfully transformed from a piece of her ripped handkerchief earlier that day. The flag froze in the air just above the chimney , obeying the movement of her hand. Bright fluorescent light emanated from the red fabric.

“We take off at the count of three, fly to the mandragora's fields,” she started instructing, “I set the same flag there so that we do not stray from the route, and then we return to the place. The first one to get it," she jabbed her wand into the air, indicating the flag, “wins.”

“Seems fair enough to me,” James approved.

They sat on the brooms, ready to start any second.

“One,” James began the count.

“Two,” Thalia bent her knees in a stand.

“Three.” They rushed into the height of the skies.

She got ahead of him from the first seconds. They flew to the fields in the settled pace. But James _was good_ , there was no denial of it. He speeded up somewhere third of the way and now was on her tale. He almost outraced her when she was going to catch the first flag. _Almost._ James Potter might be one of the best flyers in Hogwarts, but being just _one of the best_ wasn’t enough when it came to Thalia. The second best was still a second.

His problem was that he was flying to win. He was so eager to be the winner in everything. 

Of course, it was the boy who spent hours in the library reading books on sport strategy and manures before every single game. And it was a miracle, considering that in any other situation the only context words 'Potter' and 'Library' went together was with 'not in a million years'.

It was the boy who trained in the rain and snow before every match, who caught the flew like 10 times this year only because of it. The boy who brought victory to his team despite his leg being broken two times (during the same game!). Maybe Potter was a bit cocky at times, but he knew a thing or two about determination. And it was actually … admirable.

Thalia could see a finish line, 5 more feet, and the flag would be in her hands, together with the right to calm Friday nights … and a boy crushed by defeat.

Something flinched in her mind, obscuring the will to win. Was it a sense of empathy or … (Dear god, she would never ever admit it) _fondness_? She wasn’t sure. But she did what she did anyways.

At the final line, Thalia slowed down, letting James forward for a split of a second.

James caught the flag.

They landed, the lights of Hogwarts were glittering from afar.

James jumped off the broom first. She expected him to say something along the 'victory, sweat victory' lines. He didn’t.

“It was amazing,” James exclaimed.

Thalia brushed pine needles off her jacket,

“It was fun,” she admitted.

“ _Fun?_ Incredible, not just fun! Why don't you play Quidditch? You would be a great seeker.”

“I don't really like sports, James.”

“That’s it?” he questioned incredulously. “You just never saw the real game, you don't go to matches.”

“I do go to matches,” the girl calmly objected.

James raised his heavy eyebrows in disbelieve. “It can't be. I would have noticed you in our stands.”

Thalia pulled a fur hat out of her pocket and put it on, covering the long caramel waves on her head.“ I'm rooting for the other team.”

James looked like he was struck by lightning.

“Please tell me you're kidding. Otherwise, I will have to follow you in an attempt to prevent leakage of information about our team,” he said without a hint of playfulness.

Thalia brushed the ridiculous tickling pompon off her face (Mom seriously needs to reconsider her knitting preferences). “Firstly, I'm not kidding. Secondly, you are following me anyway," this remark did not bother him at all, "thirdly, I would never spy for my or any other team."

James threw up his hands apologetically.

“Got it, no detective investigations. So how come that you are rooting for ...?

“For Ravenclaw. Pandora is the keeper on their team.”

She didn’t mention that she actually was at every single game. And, of course, she didn’t mention the reason she came was because no one else would be chanting Pandora’s name otherwise.

James wanted to ask something else, but it was getting colder with every minute, and the perspective to meet the night there didn’t seem so appealing to Thalia anymore. The heat of the race was replaced by a feeling of slight fatigue, and she just wanted to get to the dormitories and rest on the soft pillow of her bed.

Thalia shivered and directed the conversation to a more significant matter.

“About the race…” she stopped, thinking that James would be courteous enough to exempt her from saying what she was about to say. Losing was not a tragedy, especially if it was self-inflicted, but admitting the loss was not pleasant nonetheless.

He waited for her to continue. James Potter wasn’t going to make it easy on her today, was he?

“It was a fair victory,” she finally said. “What is the question you want me to answer?”

“Oh, I won’t ask it now,” he adjusted the slightly loose rectangles of his glasses. “I will save that privilege for later.”

She nodded warily. It was not what she expected, but James Potter surprised her more than once that day.

She wrapped the coat tighter around herself, ready to go.

“Will you allow me to walk you?”

There was a tint of hesitance in the way James said it, the cheekiness is still there, but more blurry, shaded with uncertainty.

They were living a wall apart, in every sense of the phrase. There was _literally_ a single wall between boys and girls' bedrooms. He didn’t need to ask her, and she certainly did not need to give him permission to walk the way he was pointing at, considering it was the only one.

She still agreed gratefully.

“Only if you carry the brooms.”

James smile light up the night and two figures strode down the slippery road, powdered with snow.

“How does it feel? Losing, I mean.”

Here we go again. Has she actually started to feel like he can be a decent human being? Someone punch her.

She poked him with her elbow only to be presented with a barking laugh.

Little did they know how much more _both of them_ won that night.

* * *

“You lost? You lost?”

Thalia rolled her eyes at Marlene’s mournful tone. “Yes, for the hundred and fifteenth time – I lost.”

“And you are not upset? Not one bit?” Lily warily questioned from the corner of the table she was writing her essay at.

Thalia glanced up to the ceiling, trying not to expose the gaiety she was feeling. “Not the tiniest.”

And then recognition dawned on Lily’s face. “Oh my God, Thalia Evans. You _let_ him win! You let that arrogant, pig-headed git with an ego the size of the soccer field win _on_ _purpose_!”

“It’s just a question. I am not losing money on it, right?” Thalia argued.

“But I bloody am!” Marlene jumped up from the sofa she had selfishly occupied all by herself, driving the younger students from it beforehand. “I put all my money on you!”

Thalia turned to face her friend, not believing her own ears.

“You did what?!”

“Well, not _all_ money, only a few galleons,” blonde cooled down, gradually retreating to the safety of the sofa.

Marlene tried to hide something that was laying down on the caution. She didn’t succeed. One careless movement betrayed her. Marlene grabbed the thing, which was truly a notebook, but Thalia was faster, a hurricane of limbs and hair. She _flew_ toward Marlene, (believe me, you wouldn’t describe it any other way) and tore the thing from her clenched fingers.

She searched throw it: piles of numbers and names.

“I can’t believe it. You made an accelerator out of our race?!”

There was no answer. Marlene was too busy desperately looking for support from anywhere she landed her eyes on.

Thalia’s forehead furrowed, revealing barely noticeable wrinkle between her eyebrows. Marlene saw that wrinkle much more often than she would like. It meant no good.

“Maggie Smith? It’s a second year, Marlene. What the hell were you thinking?”

“She was saving for a teddy bear. What was I supposed to do?” the girl mumbled.

“You are in so much trouble.”

Thalia made Marlene reverse all the deals, except for the one McKinnon bet herself. Oh, no no no, she had big plans for those few galleons. As you might have already guessed, Thalia went to Hogsmeade those weekends. On a Sunday morning, Maggie Smith was pleasantly surprised by the largest and furriest teddy bear that she has ever seen.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear friends!  
> I genuinely enjoyed writing this chapter. I think it turned out nice, but you will be the judges of it.  
> I bet you were thinking that Thalia was going to shine with Christmas lights, kick James's ass and be all smugly and victorious about it? Well, I guess that's not how I intend to write her character, so get used to that, guys.  
> I apologize for any mistakes, as this chapter was not edited. If I spot any typos, they will be removed ASAP.


	6. Flowers and Fights

_“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” — Louisa May Alcott, Little Women_

Christmas breaks were finally approaching, and this year, due to the harsh weather and raging storm that broke down a few days ago, students were ordered to live school premises a bit earlier. Extremely excited by the news, they didn’t even complain about the limited time they had to get ready for the ride. Students packed their suitcases, stuffing them with sweets and treats from Hogsmeade, looking forward to reuniting with their families. The only people who were disappointed by the unexpected holidays were Marauders, which was strange by default because no one loved skipping classes more than those four (well, maybe three, Remus wasn’t _always_ keen on the idea). But apparently, they were planning to make “the greatest prank of all times” these last few days, as James kindly informed, or rather yelled, to the whole living room. Hogwarts express was scheduled to leave in the afternoon, so Thalia, who had already packed her stuff and couldn’t stand Sirius’ moaning about the injustice of the world anymore, headed to the Ravenclaw tower.

“You know it against the rules, right? Entering another house compartment?” asked Jonathan Foley, tall blonde Ravenclaw, as he saw Thalia entering the Ravenclaw common room while trying to fit a pile of books in his backpack.

“So is taking books from the library for holidays,” Thalia retorted with a smile, observing how he stuffed the books inside the pack, which was already on the verge of reaping from all the sharp corners and the weight.

“Oh, just come on in already,” Jonathan surrendered, gesturing in the invitation.

While he was murmuring something about ‘Evans’, ‘pushy’, and ‘bloody books’, (did his pack just cracked?) Thalia has already made her way to Pandora’s bedroom. The door was opened before Thalia even knocked. Pandora’s petite figure appeared from the corner.

“I was waiting for you,” Pandora murmured, blonde hair is falling loose over her shoulders.

Thalia smiled, not at all concerned by the anticipatory greeting. “Of course, you were.”

There was not a pair of friends who seemed more incompatible with each other than Thalia Evans and Pandora Goldstein. If you didn’t know, you would never assume that these girls could be connected even remotely. There were on the opposite side of the spectrum, as one would say.

Pandora was invisible. The peculiar girl who was strange to the point when it became easier for others not to notice her strangeness and forget about her entirely. The type of person who could easily be overlooked in the crowd even if she were right under your nose. She was a ghost walking soundlessly in the corridors. Her thoughts always were somewhere out of reach, and the absence of the mind made her body seem absent as well. Pandora never raised her voice, she never laughed, smiled very rarely, and even those brief smiles were rather pensive. 

On the other side was Thalia. Always there, always present, you couldn’t overlook her even if you wanted to. There was an aura of splashing warmth surrounding the girl. With all her enormous imagination, Thalia, unlike her friend, never tended to get lost in the clouds. Was she romanticizing and fantasizing from time to time? Well, as any girl her age, yes. Nonetheless, she stood firmly on the ground and was very much down to Earth in a way that probably infuriated and irritated a lot of 15 years Gryffindor girls who went from class to class daydreaming about boys or being chosen the magical queen of beauty or any other nonsenses.

And yet those two somehow ended up being more than just schoolmates that once had a conversation on the train. Their relationships during the years evolved from a fragile partnership into a beautiful friendship, complete understanding, and mutual respect.

They had a strange symbiosis that even Lily and Marlene, ones of Thalia’s most close people, had no ability to comprehend. They were each other’s missing pieces of the puzzle. Steadiness and boldness.

Those two would spend hours together, and while Pandora was calmly telling about the night constellations and how, thanks to them, one can predict fate with absolute accuracy, Thalia listened with no interruptions, totally submerged into Pandora’s realm of expertise. And then it was Thalia turn to speak, and with all her inherited energy, she enlightened Pandora about the new law enforcement Ministry conducted, only to receive a nod of affirmation at the end of the intense speech.

And, aside from this small gesture, Thalia never expected more. It was one of the reasons the friendship between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw flourished - they never demanded more from each other, being grateful for what they had.

Pandora, being two years older than Thalia, already had a clear vision of what she wanted to do after graduation, even though it was the least conventional career path one could follow.

Ravenclaw told Thalia that she was going to do research on magical materials and how they conduct in different circumstances. It was a great idea in every aspect, modern, not well studied, and innovative, except one. Thalia had no idea how exactly Pandora was going to make money from it and provide for herself. But since Pandora wasn’t preoccupied with the issue at all, Thalia decided not to pressure her with questions and pep talks, at least this year.

There were more fun things on her mind right now.

“Do you want to see the moonflower?”

Moonflowers, extremely rare plants, only blossomed one time a year, which specifically fell into the midday of the first winter day after the full moon. There were not a lot of properties to them magic wise, but they were extremely beautiful. Thalia noticed the sprout of it in autumn, and since then really wanted to see how it will blossom. She shared her desire with Marlene and Lily, but none of them appreciated the idea to go into the forest in such freezing weather.

“The storm is raging outside,” Pandora remarked offhandedly, not a glimpse of emotions in the voice.

“Is it a yes or a no?” Thalia asked, already knowing the answer her friend was about to give.

Instead of saying anything, Pandora grabbed her coat.

  


* * *

  


They run downstairs together and hurried to the left-wing of the castle. It was the shortest way to exit in the forest direction. The thing that Thalia didn’t consider was that the left-wing was also the only way to exit the dungeons.

She saw the group that was standing in their way.

“Out of all times and places!” Thalia thought irritably. Slytherins, and the most unbearable ones of them: Malfoy and Mulciber, surrounded by other boys she didn’t quite know.

The rivalry between them and Gryffindors, which Thalia thought was ridiculous, made anyone with a scarlet-colored uniform the target of the evil tongues. The fact that she was a muggle-born didn’t add her any points.

She really considered the possibility to turn the other way; they will lose ten minutes, but that still won’t be too late. Thalia wasn’t the timid type, but nor she was the fight lover. And right now Thalia was not in the mood to spend her time on a bunch of pig-headed Slytherins.

She didn’t have time to follow her plan, vultures had already smelled the meat.

“Look who we have here!”, Malfoy’s long-chinned face twisted in a wicked smile. “Little Evans and her loony friend.” Mulciber barked something between the laugh of approval.

“Leave us alone, Malfoy,” Thalia retorted with a stony expression.

“Leave you? I would never even bother myself with you, Mudblood,” he shook off the dust from his robe and rubbed it with the toe of his boot. He could say whatever he wanted, but Thalia saw he wasn’t disgusted, even though he wanted to make others believe it. Oh no, he was enjoying the proсess, he was _fascinated_ by insulting her. Thalia saw it in his staged disdain as clearly as one sees his reflection in the mirror. “Not an Oscar material acting,” she remarked.

“The same insult all over again. Are you that dumb that can’t even think of anything new, Malfoy?” Thalia spat out scornfully. She really should have just walked away, but her temper was her worst enemy at times.

“Don’t want to waste my imagination on the likes of you, Mudblood. Right, Severus?” 

So Snape was also here, how didn’t she noticed?

Severus murmured something incoherent, more a snort than a phrase.

He stood behind Malfoy’s back. Chin pointed down, he tried to avoid Thalia’s gaze. Fascinating really, seeking so much the attention of one pair of Evan’s inherited emerald eyes, he so diligently tried to avoid the other.

Snape didn’t stand up for her. She didn’t expect him to, she wasn’t Lily after all. And still, somewhere deep in her chest his snort echoed with disappointment. Thalia got used to it over the years, but it never went away.

“Come”, she grabbed Pandora’s limp hanging palm and dragged her in the opposite direction of where the Slytherins stood.

“Not so fast,” a snaky voice hissed behind Thalia’s back.

Someone murmured the spell and the next moment Pandora tripped hard on her knees, a thin trickle of blood appeared from under her skirt. Thalia rushed to lift her friend off the ground and cast a healing spell, but droops of Pandora’s blood have already dripped on the floor and soaked into it, leaving an ugly red spot in the white marble.

“You are sick bastards!” Thalia yelled, turning her heated gaze to Malfoy and his henchmen.

“Don’t stain your shoes, guys. I bet her blood is as dirty as Evans,” Malfoy said with a disgusted expression on his face.

Mulciber and a few other boys burst out into laughter. To his dignity, Snape didn’t.

”Walk a step closer and we will find out what a similar kind of blood we have, Malfoy,” Thalia said, shielding Pandora with her body and protectively putting her arm in front of the girl.

“Watch your tongue, Mudblood,” Mulciber intervened, pointing a wand at Thalia’s face.

She disarmed him in a blink of an eye; Mulciber’s wand flew aside and landed on the tile next to Thalia.

“And you’d better watch your hands, Mulciber. I can’t promise you will have them both if you ever touch Pandora ever again.”

This time, Malfoy raised his wand. Thalia mirrored his motion. One wrong move and she will smack his…

“What is going on here?” a loud sonorous voice made its way through the corridor. Professor McGonagall appeared in the hallway; first-year students followed her steps.

She approached the group and her brows knitted as she noticed the stains of blood on the floor.

Malfoy lowered his wand immediately, retreating to the group of crowded Slytherins.

“Have I not asked loud enough?”

“Nothing is going…” Mulciber tried to cover his friend, but he apparently forgot _who_ he was trying to deceive.

“Don’t even try to finish that sentence, mister Mulciber.” McGonagall cut him off, her words as cold as ice. She turned her gaze towards the girls, as though examining them, which she was probably doing indeed, considering the next words.

“I see that you are hurt, Ms. Goldstein. Are you able to go to the hospital wing by yourself?”

Pandora cast an uncertain glance at Thalia, clearly not wanting to leave her. But she nodded under Professors expecting gaze and headed to the hospital wing to entrust her scraped knees to Madame Pomphrey’s care.

“Now, Mister Malfoy, explain what has just happened between you and Ms. Evans and why Ms. Goldstein is hurt.”

“Goldstein just tripped over, professor,” Malfoy tried to pool off the trick.

“I see that neither of you wants to make it easy for yourself.” McGonagall interlocked the thin and long pianist-like fingers of her venous hands.

“I am utterly disappointed by both your behaviors. But since my primary concern now is to accompany younger students to their chambers, I will deal with it later. Miss Evans, I expect to see you at my office in 20 minutes. As for you, Mr. Malfoy. Your behavior will also be reported, and your head of house will decide the fitting punishment. Now please go to where you were going, and it’d better be in opposite directions.”

__

* * *

  


Half an hour later, she stood in front of McGonagall's office, wanting to be anywhere but there.

She got in trouble before, her best friend was _Marlene McKinnon_ after all. But this was an epic failure: not only the plans to see the flower were ruined, but she also was going to get detention on the last day of the semester, which will probably be transferred to January. Luckiest of people indeed.

And above all that, she was practically sure that Malfoy will get away without facing any consequences. Nor that she craved for revenge or something, but it would be only fair for him to take responsibility. The more Slytherins got away with their nasty comments and spells, the more comfortable they felt doing it. Especially now, when so much attention was pointed at the blood division, that could take an awful turn. But it was evident that Professor Slughorn didn’t share Thalia’s worries, because he consistently chose to turn a blind eye to his students doing.

She took a short breath, nocked the door, and opened it with a taste of great injustice on her tongue.

Figure in the grey robe sat in the carved wooden chair, his back was turned to Thalia and she could see how shoulders that once were broad and now sunken with age twitched and turned, and she was left. That was not McGonagall, and it made it a hundred times worse.

“Professor Dumbledore,” Thalia greeted, frozen in the doorway.

“Come on in, Ms. Evans,” Dumbledore pointed at the stool in front of his desk, so Thalia followed the gesture of his hand and sat down. Stool cracked quietly under her weight and she twitched uncomfortably upon hearing the noise.

“Beautiful place- Hogwarts, but not really modern. The last time we changed the furniture was when I only started my career. Which was a long time ago, even if I don’t want to admit it,” Dumbledore smiled warmly at her. His hands lay at the desktop, and she could see the confirmation of his statement. The skin on his palms was withered and shriveled. No one knew how old Headmaster was exactly, but she presumed that he was way past his eighties. The only thing that hasn’t revealed his age were eyes - those were the eyes of a young man, life gushed out of them like a fountain.

She would like to say that she never ended up in Headmaster’s company because of her behavior before, but that wouldn’t be true. Since her first eyer, when she started to demonstrate uncontrolled magic emissions, she ended up being directed to his office once or twice per semester after another unfortunate incident. He never scolded her, he never tried to “make her right”. She remembered how she was forced to come to his office after she accidentally had set her bed on fire in her sleep. She scared the hell out (pardon the poor choice of words) of her neighbors. She was 12, had a bad dream, and an ordinary child will scream, or roll out of the bed. But there was nothing ordinary about Thalia, so she woke up with the flame burning around her. She remembered sitting at the stool just like the one she was sitting on right now, on the verge of crying, because she didn’t want to be trouble, she didn’t want to hurt anyone. “Can you fix this?” she asked that night. “I can’t, my dear, because there is nothing to fix. We all have our imperfections, Ms. Evans. It is only in our power to accept them and learn to control them or get angry and bitter at the world because it made us that way. In the end, the choice is ours to make.”

That’s what he told her, and maybe it had a greater effect on her than all the practices and exercise others tried to help her with put together.

“I presume you know who the Lady of the Lake is, miss Evans?” he asked insinuatingly.

Thalia nodded, her face was turning red. Whether it was from the heat of the fireplace or her embarrassment, she was not sure.

“The memory is failing me. Would you be kind enough to enlighten the old man?”

“The Lady of the Lake, also known as Nimueh,” Thalia started slowly, “is one of the most controversial characters in British literature. She was a fairy queen. Some believed she was the one who gifted Excalibur to King Arthur and with the rest of the fairy queens, took Arthur to the island of Avalon after his death.”

She stopped, unsure of whether she should continue.

“Please, go one,” Dumbledore encouraged.

“The other legends say she learned the magic from Merlin himself. Nimueh found Merlin, pursued him to take her into the apprenticeship, and he opened all the sacred secrets of magic to her. They became friends and soon after Merlin fell for her divine beauty, but his feelings were never shared. Nimueh wanted to be the most powerful magician in the world, but that couldn’t happen until Merlin was alive. Her lust for power clouded all else. She lured him into a trap and sealed him in the mountain of Hawthorn forever. Eventually, Nimueh regretted her decision. She understood that Merlin was the only person who loved and excepted her, but it was too late – the spell she cast on his cage couldn’t be undone. Full of remorse, she retired to Avalon and spent the rest of her days in complete solitude. Even after death, her spirit wanders on the island all alone, calling out the name of Merlin in the silence of the night.”

"You are more acquainted with the topic that I assumed, miss Evans. But do you know that there is another version to the legend you just retold?” Dumbledore questioned.

Thalia shook her head in confusion.

“Old version, rejected by the historians. It says that Nimueh was not a fairy at all, but rather a human child. She grew up in a small village in the lands where modern England is. She possessed un unusual abilities, made objects fly, and disappear at her will. The villagers feared her, even Nimueh’s own family thought that the powers are a devil’s deed and should be condemned. No one understood her, no one cared for her. One day Nimueh heard about a man who could bring kings to their knees with the power of his mind. She promised to learn from him and went on a journey where she both found and lost herself. She found him, eventually. The rest of the story you just told me yourself," he stopped, his gaze turned blurry for a second, but the misty veil disappeared once he looked at Thalia, replaced by striking blue.

“You know what is interesting, Ms. Evans? Some believe that Nimueh was the first witch of the British islands. And I am myself tend to think this hypothesis has a place to be," his eyes sparkled."Not a lot of us have power, miss Evans, and even less know how to use it wisely. We should control it, or it will control us. Do you understand?"

“Yes,” Thalia whispered

"You can leave now."

“Leave?” she repeated in awe. Thalia came in expecting to be punished or suspended, not lectured about the myths.

"Unless you want to drink a cup of tea with me. Lavender and thyme – such a harmonical bouquet." Dumbledore levitated the cup to his table, steaming liquid splashed inside.

“Thank you for the invitation, Headmaster, but I’d rather not. I must check if Pandora is alright,” Thalia politely refused, still not quite sure of what has just happened.

"Of you go then," another smile accompanied her to the exit.

  


* * *

  


She walked outside, both puzzled and relieved. Two figures were waiting.

“Oh my God! You scared the hell out of me,” Thalia heard as someone squeezed her tightly in the embrace that was likely to choke her had she stayed in it for more than ten seconds. “We heard first years saying there was a fight between you, Malfoy, and Mulciber. And we saw blood on our way here! Are you okay? Have you been hurt?” Lily spitted questions at a speed of five hundred words per second.

“I am, Lily. You can stop squeezing me now,” Thalia tried to break free from her over-worried sister. “Not even a scratch, Pandora hurt her leg, but nothing fatal.”

“Those bastards!” Marlene, who stood right beside Lily, clenching her hands into fists.

“It is not that bad,” Thalia reassured. “I am only sorry that we are leaving home on a bad note, that’s all.”

”Who else was involved, aside from Malfoy and Mulciber?” Lily enquired.

There was an innocent question, but Thalia sensed an undertone. “Was Severus there?” was what Lily _really_ asked.

Thalia hesitated. Lily didn’t have to be more upset than she was already.

“No one,” she lied, “there were four of us. And I would appreciate if you don’t mention it to Mom and Dad.”

Lily nodded slightly. Parents usually don’t take lightly when their children are being threatened or hurt, and it seemed that the desire to protect the loved ones from unease was something that Lily and Thalia had in common. Lily could complain about Thalia keeping her worries to herself as much as she wanted, but she was the same at the end of the day. 

“Let’s go to see Pandora,” red-head offered, not letting go of Thalia’s already sweaty palm.“I bet Slughorn will let it slip away as always,” she added frowning.

“Maybe Slughorn will, but someone won’t,” Marlene retorted with a smirk.

“What do you mean?” Thalia asked. She was tired of surprises today.

“I might have seen how two Gryffindors who I shall not name in front of Headmaster’s office were carrying stink bombs to the dungeons.”

Oh, no. And here Thalia thought that she would have a peaceful evening. 

"Nothing always goes as planned," a malicious voice ringed in her head. _And hell was it right!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I don't even know where to start. There have been a lot of changes in my life lately (turned out moving 6000km away from everything you know and love isn't so easy, who would have thought!), so fanfiction had to wait for a bit)))  
> You guys are incredible, and I am sorry for keeping you waiting! Just enjoy the reading and know that I love you all!


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